Structure for and method of bricklaying



Nov. 19, 1968 G. YAREMCHUK 3,411,257

STRUCTURE FOR AND METHOD OF BRICKLAYING Filed March 28, 1966 FIG.2

F|G.4 FIG.5 m6

MAL-2mm K INVENTOR/ k .x GEORGE FAREMCHUK ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,411,257 STRUCTURE FOR AND METHOD OF BRICKLAYING George Yaremchuk, 5138 Lonyo, Detroit, Mich. 48210 Filed Mar. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 537,852 4 Claims. (Cl. 52-415) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A brick structure comprising a plurality of courses of vertically aligned bricks separated by spacing members positioned at the inner section of joints between the bricks adjacent the front surface of the brick structure and separate aligning and spacing members positioned at the back surface of the brick structure including portions extending into the horizontal joints between the brick courses and a backing portion extending over a portion of the back surface of the brick structure having the plan configuration of the brick structure and mortar inserted in the joints between bricks provided by the spacing and spacing and aligning members and the method of constructing the brick structure. The spacing and spacing and aligning members are preferably constructed of an open mesh material.

The invention relates to the construction arts and refers more specifically to an improved structure for and method of laying brick.

In the past bricklaying has required skilled construction workers who learned the art of laying brick with exactly spaced mortar joints in a required pattern and alignment through a long and tedious apprentice program. Skilled construction workers, such as brick layers, are often difficult to hire in periods of great building activity and demand a high wage rate because of the skill they possess. Thus, unskilled persons often do their own minor brick Work, the result of which is usually unsightly and sometimes unsound due to misalignment of the brick courses and variation in the mortar joints.

It is therefore one of the purposes of the present invention to provide improved structure for bricklaying whereby brick may be laid with no special skill.

Another object is to provide structure for brick laying including members positioned in the brick work for spacing and aligning the bricks in the pattern desired before mortar joints are filled.

Another object is to provide structure as set forth above wherein spacing members are positioned adjacent the front surface of the brick work at the inner sections of horizontal and vertical mortar joints therein.

Another object is to provide structure as set forth above wherein spacing and aligning members are positioned between horizontal courses of brick at a horizontal mortar joint therein and in engagement with the back surface of the brick work.

Another object is to provide structure as set forth above wherein the spacing members and the spacing and aligning members are constructed of open wire mesh to permit passage of mortar therethrough.

Another object is to provide an improved method of constructing brick work having a desired plan configuration and uniform mortar joints.

Another object is to provide an improved method of constructing brick work including laying a first brick 3,41 1,257 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 ice course in the desired plan configuration, spaced apart by spacing members positioned therebetween and on top thereof, placing a spacing and aligning member adjacent the back surface of the brick work and on top of the first brick course, laying a second brick course on top of the spacing members and the spacing and aligning member whereby the first and second brick courses and the bricks therein are maintained in desired spaced apart relation to define mortar joints therebetween, repeating the process with third and subsequent brick courses and subsequently filling the defined mortar joints with brick mortar.

Another object is to provide means for and a method of bricklaying which is simple, economical and efficient.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of a portion of structure for laying a brick wall according to the invention in the process of being laid by the method of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section through the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1 taken substantially on the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a spacing and aligning member of the structure illustrated in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3-A is a partial plan view of the spacing and aligning member illustrated in FIGURE 3 in an arcuate configuration.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a spacing member of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified spacing member similar to that of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of still another modified spacing member similar to that of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is an elevation view of brick structure having a different pattern than the brick structure illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a spacing member of the brick structure illustrated in FIGURE 7.

With particular reference to the figures of the drawing, one embodiment of the present invention will now be considered in detail.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the brick structure 10 includes a plurality of brick courses 12, 14 and 16 having spacing members 18 positioned therebetween adjacent the front surface thereof to maintain the bricks in spaced apart relation and having spacing the aligning members 20 at the back surface thereof -to maintain the brick courses in spaced apart relation and vertical alignment.

In forming the brick structure 10, the brick courses 12, 14 and 16 are laid up as shown in spaced apart vertically aligned relation in conjunction with the members 18 and 20. Subsequently brick mortar which is provided from a mortar gun or the like is forced into the horizontal and vertical mortar joints 22 and 24 to secure the individual bricks and courses of bricks together.

More specifically, as shown in FIGURE 1, the brick structure 10 is a brick wall which, as shown, is a single brick in depth. The brick wall as shown in FIGURE 1 is provided with bricks in adjacent vertical courses which are staggered longitudinally approximately one-half brick.

The courses 12, 14 and 16 as shown in vertical alignment. As previously indicated the bricks in the individual courses 12, 14 and 16 are maintained in a predetermined spaced apart relation to provide exactly accurate mortar joints therebetween by the spacing members 18 and the spacing and aligning members 20, and the separate courses 12, 14 and 16 are maintained in vertical alignment by the spacing and aligning members 20.

The spacing members 18, as better illustrated in FIG- URE 4, are T-shaped in form having a stern portion 26 and a cross bar portion 28. The stem portion 26 is constructed to be equal to the width of the vertical mortar joints 24 desired while the cross bar portion 28 is constructed to be of a depth equal to the vertical dimension of the horizontal mortar joint desired. The third dimension of the spacing member 18 may vary in accordance with the Width of the bricks in the individual courses but is in a practical construction equal to two or three times the dimension of the mortar joint in which it is positioned.

As shown best in FIGURE 4, the spacing member 18 is constructed of wire mesh. The screen or wire mesh permits ready diffusion of brick mortar therethrough when the spacing member 18 is in position in brick structure 10. If desired the modified spacing member material illustrated in FIGURES and 6 may be provided. The spacing member of FIGURE 5 is constructed of thin sheet metal and is completely open transversely of brick structure in which it is placed. The spacing member of FIGURE 6 is a solid wood member.

The spacing and aligning member 20, as best illustrated in FIGURE 3, is an elongated member which has a T-shaped cross section with a stem 30 which is of a width equal to the vertical dimension of the horizontal mortar joint desired and a cross bar 32 which may be a single thickness of screen or wire mesh thickness. In brick construction, such as in the wall 10, the stem 30 of the spacing and aligning member spaces one side of the bricks in each course to aid in defining the vertical dimension of the horizontal mortar joints. The cross bar 32 provides a retaining mesh over the back surface of the structure 10 to prevent waste of mortar which might seep through the mortar joints on forcing of mortar into the mortar joints from the front surface of the wall 10. The vertical dimension of the cross bar 32 of the aligning and spacing member 20 in position in structure 10 is slightly greater than the vertical dimension of a brick and an associated mortar joint. The end of the cross bar portion 32 of the spacing and aligning member 20 extends beyond at least one end of the stem portion thereof,

as shown best in FIGURE 3.

The stem portion 30 of the spacing and aligning member 20 is broken at joints 34 longitudinally as required to permit bending of the aligning and spacing member 20 into desired plan configuration as shown in FIGURE 3-a. Thus, if it is desired to build an arcuate brick wall, the aligning and spacing members 20 would be bent to the are required and the brick courses 12, 14 and 16 laid against the aligning and spacing members 20 to provide accurate, arcuate brick courses having positive vertical alignment.

As indicated in conjunction with the spacing members 18, the aligning and spacing member 20 is constructed of wire mesh or screen preferably, but may be constructed of sheet metal, solid wood or a combination thereof.

As shown best in FIGURES 7 and 8, other spacing members 36 having different cross sections, such as the cross illustrated in FIGURE 8 may be provided to accommodate different brick patterns. Thus, the cross configuration of FIGURE 8 permits bricklaying in a pattern wherein the horizontal and vertical joints are aligned over the entire brick structure.

As indicated briefly above, in constructing a brick structure 10 the first course of bricks are laid in the plan configuration desired with if necessary the aid of an aligning and spacing member 20 positioned at the back of the brick course, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, and with the spacing members 18 positioned, as shown in FIGURE 1. If the aligning and spacing members have not been used in the initial laying of the first course 12, they are positioned adjacent the back of the first course of brick, as shown in FIGURE 2, and a second course of brick 14 is positioned on the first course, along with additional spacing members 18 and spacing and aligning members 20 which are in turn followed by additional courses of brick and spacing and aligning members to form the brick structure 10 having no mortar in the joints. Subsequently mortar is forced into the mortar joints 22 and 24. The mortar may be, for example, forced from pressure guns, similar to known grease guns or the like. The mortar is allowed to set whereupon the brick structure 10 is completed.

The structure and method set forth above it will be readily seen provides a brick wall wherein the vertical alignment of the courses may be assured and the mortar joints will be of uniform thickness throughout. Bricklaying by those totally unskilled in the bricklaying art may thus be accomplished.

While one embodiment and modifications of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments and modifications are contemplated. It is the intention to include all embodiments and modifications as are defined by the appended claims within the scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Brick structure comprising a plurality of bricks in horizontally extending vertical courses defining horizontal and vertical mortar joints, spacing means positioned at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal joints of the brick structure adjacent the front of the brick structure for maintaining the bricks defining the joints in predetermined spaced relation, separate spacing and aligning members provided for each vertical course of the brick structure, each having a generally T-shaped cross section including a stem portion extending into the horizontal joints between the brick courses from the rear of the brick structure, said spacing and aligning members further including a cross bar cross section portion extending vertically over the back surface of a portion of the brick structure and extending longitudinally a distance greater than the similar dimension of a brick and the mortar joints adjacent the brick.

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the brick structure has an arcuate back surface and the stem portion of the spacing and aligning member is separated intermittently and contoured in the shape of the back surface of the brick structure in plan.

3. Structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the spacing and spacing and aligning members is constructed of an open mesh material to permit flowing of mortar through and around the member.

- 4. The method of erecting a brick structure comprising laying a first course of brick in the plan configuration desired of the brick structure, spacing the bricks apart longitudinally with spacing members placed therebetween and on top thereof, forming a separate spacing and aligning member in the plan configuration desired of the back surface of the brick structure, placing the spacing and aligning member on the top of the first course of the brick structure at the rear thereof, setting a second course of brick on the spacing members and the spacing and aligning member and repeating the sequence until a portion of the desired brick structure is erected with the bricks spaced apart and aligned by the spacing members and the spacing and aligning members and filling the mortar joints defined between the bricks with mortar whereby the bricks are held in the position determined by the spacing members and the spacing and aligning members.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Ams 52388 Brainard et a1. 52-85 Jones 52--85 Harsh-berger 52388 Berger 52-396 Rodtz 52603 3,019,560 2/1962 Hansen 52-513 3,321,883 5/1967 Pascucci 52-391 FOREIGN PATENTS 546,707 4/ 1956 Belgium. 1,157,713 13/1957 France.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. RIDGILL, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

